Early Life and Education
James Litinsky was born in 1977 and received a B.A. in Economics from Yale University, graduating cum laude. He later earned both a J.D. and an M.B.A. from Northwestern University's School of Law and Kellogg School of Management, and was admitted to the Illinois Bar.
Rise to Success
Litinsky's career began with roles at Fortress Investment Group, Omnicom Group, and Allen & Company before founding JHL Capital Group in 2006. JHL Capital Group is a multibillion-dollar alternative investment firm. In 2017, Litinsky founded MP Materials Corp. (NYSE: MP) and has served as its Chairman and CEO since. He spearheaded the transformation of the Mountain Pass mine, the only rare earth mine in the United States, into a key domestic source for strategic metals. His strategy involved rebuilding domestic capabilities for rare earth separation and magnet manufacturing, thereby strengthening U.S. supply chains. He took MP Materials public in 2020.
Key Business Strategies
Litinsky's business strategies have been characterized by a contrarian investment approach. In 2015, when his hedge fund had sunk $40 million into distressed bonds issued by the Mountain Pass mine owner, Molycorp, Litinsky saw an opportunity to turn the mine into a thriving enterprise. After Molycorp's bankruptcy, he acquired the mine and pre-sold its output to finance its restart. His focus has been on vertical integration, aiming to build the nation's first new supermagnet plant in decades in Fort Worth, Texas. He has also secured contracts to supply magnets to major companies like General Motors.
Philanthropy
James Litinsky serves on the Boards of the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago and the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago.